Welcome to donduk. A refuge for those who enjoy Deal or No Deal, the hit Channel 4 gameshow hosted by Noel Edmonds. The award winning gameshow Deal or No Deal has become a big hit for Channel 4 and marks a sensational return to our screens of Noel Edmonds.

Deal or No Deal is enjoyed my millions of viewers daily, where the contestants battle with The Banker to try and win a jackpot of £250,000. Here at donduk you will find full daily reports of each show, as well Deal or No Deal news and specials. Deal or No Deal although initially appearing very simple in format of just opening a few boxes for the chance to win some big money prizes, actually has some potentially complex decisions to be made at points throughout the show, the contestants occasionally try complex or simple gameplay in an attempt to give them an edge in beating the Banker.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

The Student Speaks IV:- Gone Flat

Its true, DOND is becoming more of a soap-opera than a gameshow.

It was Saj who introduced the idea of the audience making noise, and virtually every contestant since has taken on the same policy, and its now become tradition. I liked the loud games when they were genuine. Saj's game, and then later games like Kirsty, Gaz, Morris etc. were all incredibly tense and exciting, but when you've got the crowd jumping up and down over a few grand, things are getting ridiculous. Also, the Banker's role has almost turned into Anne Robinson on the Weakest Link, no longer a financier, now just a telephone-based insulting machine. And his pointless and completely random bias towards some of the contestants is, Firstly, inexplicable, and Secondly, extremely wearing. Suzanne's game was superb winnings-wise, but how on earth could the banker justify £47,000 with the board that was left, when other players have been left with similar boards and been offered much, much less (less than half, in fact). Its bizarre.

In recent weeks there have been a lot of messages on here from people who seem to be of the opinion that DOND has gone a bit flat, a bit fake. I for one, am beginning to lose interest in game after game of the same old four-figure games. What we need now is the £250k. More than anything, the show now needs to try and move a little back towards its beginnings as a quiet afternoon show, as the-thing-that-was-on-after-countdown. What it was before it began believing its own hype and becoming (as someone has commented on here) like the Jerry Springer Show (love the comparison!).

This Double Deal week thing has split opinion, like almost nothing else so far, with the possible exception of the cockup during Massimo's game (or Massimogate as I like to call it). The idea seems to be to bring back people from the DOND "Hall Of Fame" whatever that means. How on earth can that work. Do they get a second load of cash? How can that be fair?

As for the £250k, I am very suspicious of the amount of hype and publicity given to DOND this week. When he was on Jonathon Ross the other week, Noel said that there had been 2 winners of the jackpot prize. I would be amazed if the first one wasn't this week. Watch out for that!